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Great cache - Saco Heath Preserve

This is our most liked cache to date. We're new with only 37 caches with each providing some suprise but this is a truly special place. Saco Heath Preserve GCG6Z9 was designed by Doug26 and he spent a lot of time making this both challenging and rewarding. The Preserve is a multi hundred acre mix of forest, swamp, heath and lots of mosquitos. Doug very creatively provides clues to the final cache along the way. Round trip is about 2 1/4 miles but the walk was easy enough for Joe's 80 year old mom. She was delighted with the views, the flowers and just being out in such a wild place so close to a town.

2 and 1/4 miles? Wow I did that a couple of years ago and it didn't seem like it was that long a hike. It is a beautiful spot and a challenge to get all the clues. If I remember right it took me 2 tries but well worth it.

Just smile it won't crack your face

The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four persons is
suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best
friends -- if they're okay, then it's you.

Mother in Law is 80 and quite fiesty. We had tried to explain Geocaching to her but it wasn't sinking in. Hard to understand if you don't see it in action. Figured we'd just take her out and show her. The Heath was truly beautiful yesterday and she said she felt like a kid walking back in Mars Hill, ME where she grew up - in the old days that is. No traffic. Now she wants to go out on another cache <G> We might preview the cache next time.

The Rachel Carson Trail in Kennebunk would be another great place for a cache but that is a federal park and no caches on federal land?? Perhaps when we walk it again, we can figure out a virtual cache. The walk is only 1 mile, level, lots of boardwalks and easy for kids or the elderly.

Good luck on getting a virtual approved. GC.com has a moratorium on virtuals and locationless caches at the moment so I think it would be a little difficult at this time. But by all means you can give it a try, one never knows how the approvers are about such things sometimes.It's just another way to get people out to see beautiful sights even if they can't find a traditional cache there. I say go for it!!! and good luck

Just smile it won't crack your face

The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four persons is
suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best
friends -- if they're okay, then it's you.

Good luck on getting a virtual approved. GC.com has a moratorium on virtuals and locationless caches at the moment so I think it would be a little difficult at this time. But by all means you can give it a try, one never knows how the approvers are about such things sometimes.It's just another way to get people out to see beautiful sights even if they can't find a traditional cache there. I say go for it!!! and good luck

The moratorium is only on locationless caches. With virtuals, they just are REALLY strict on approval. The guidelines for virtual caches include the text:

"Prior to considering a virtual cache, you must have given consideration to the question “why couldn’t a microcache or multi-cache be placed there?” Physical caches have priority, so please consider adding a micro or making the location a step in an offset or multi-stage cache with the physical cache placed in an area that is appropriate."

It is possible a physical cahe could be allowed at the Rachael Carson Preserve. The is one nearby at the Wells Reserve.

IMHO, in any areas like these, I think we should be asking permission because if they are discovered it may give the sport a bad name and we're apt to be banned from other areas.

If you ask for permission and they won't allow a physical cache, then you have the proof to show the approver that a virtual may be the best way to go.

I had a good experience with GPSFUN when I tried to make my "Arnold's Landing" cache a virtual (it was disapproved). We exchanged several emails and he was very helpful in explaining virtuals (and the fact that the the criteria for approval has become a lot more strict in the last couple of years). Basically, you can put virtuals ONLY in places where you can put any other type of cache - like in a national park.

Otherwise, do a "micro" (not me!) or an "offset" cache, where something at the the cache location serves as a clue to the location of the "swag" - such as in a multi-cache.

And the prohibition on caches in "federal land" only applies to National parks and national wildlife refuges. You CAN put a cache in a national forest, for example (see all the caches in the White mountain National Forest! LOL!)

Having said that, since the Rachel Carson IS a National Wildlife refuge, they probably would NOT approive it.